Flexible coupling



JOHN GRUNDY, OF PHILADELPHIA., PENNSYLVANIA.

FLEXIBLE coUPLING.

specication 'of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

Application filed October 30, 1919. Serial No. 334,519.

T 0 all whom, t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JoHN R. GRUNDY, a citizen of the United States,residing in Philadelphia., Pennsylvania, have invented FlexibleCouplings, of which the following is a specification.

One object of this invention is to provide a device for coupling theadjacent ends of two shafts which shall be of such a nature that itshall be capable of transmitting power from one of them to the other,even though they be out of alinement and have a greater or less degreeof relative longitudinal movement ;-the invention more particularlycontemplating a form of coupling including two shaft-carried members andan intermediate member, of which the former are of such construction andso engage the latter as to prevent the separation of the couplingelements under operating conditions.

Another object of my invention is to provide a flexible shaft couplingwhich shall be simple, substantial and compact in construction and inwhich the shaft-carried elements while normally so engaging anintermediate element as to prevent longitudinal separation of thecoupling elements, shall at the same time be of such form andconstruction as to permit of the quick and convenient assembly orseparation of said elements.

These objects and other advantageous ends I attain as hereinafter setforth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a flexible shaft coupling constructed inaccordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a detached perspective view illustrating the detailconstruction of the elements of the coupling shown in Fig. 1; and

Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively a front and a side elevatibn of aslightly modified form of the shaft-carried elements.

' In the above dra-wings 1--1 represent the two shaft-carried elementsof my invention which are both of the same form and con-- struction, and2 represents the intermediate member whereby said first members areoperatively connected and through which power is transmitted from one tothe other. Each of the elements 1 consists of a sleeve or collar 4designed to be keyed or otherl wise'rigidly mounted on one of two shaftsto be connected and has formed integral with it two oppositely extendingarms 3 3. Each of these arms adjacent its end has fixed to or formedintegral with it a substantially' rectangular block 5 projecting fromthe outer portion of its outer face and the two blocks 5 of each arm areequi-distant from the center line of the sleeve 4 aswell as in line witheach other, having in that form of my invention shown in Figs. 1 -and 2,in-

tegral retaining plates 6 mounted on their outer faces and projectingbeyond their sides. As shown at 6a in Figs. 3 and 4, these retainingplates may be removably connected to @the blocks 5 as by screws 7, andmay be of the same radial width as said blocks, although in that form ofmy invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 these plates are ot less width thanthat of the blocks on which they are mounted, as well as placed at theouter ends of said blocks.

The intermediate member 2 consists of a disk of material, such asleather, having the quality of absorbing or cushioning shocks, althoughobviously it may be made of material such as vulcanized `fiberpossessing said quality in a lesserdegree. This dlsk is formed with twosets of oppositely placed radially extending recesses 8-8 and 9-9preferably at right angles to each other and of a width suiiicient tosnugly though slidably receive the alined blocks 5-5 of the twoVshaft-carried elements 1--1 respectively. The depth of these slots ismaterially greater than the length of the blocks 5 so that in the formof my invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2, when the intermediate member 2is inclined at an angle to the plane of the arms 3 of one of theelements 1 and the lower of the blocks 5 of one of the latter is enteredin the lower one of the recesses 9, the op osite side of saidintermediate element wil just pass under the projecting ends of theupper plate 6, thereby makin it possible to bring the intermediate memer into a position parallel with the arms 3 and cause the second of theblocks 5 to enter the upper recess 9.

Under these conditions the intermediate member is freely slidable acrossthe outer face of the arms 3 and is guided by the blocks 5 thereonalthough, except in the p0- sition above noted, it is held in place bythe projecting ends of the plates 6;-theblocks 5 having a height equalto the thickness of the intermediate member 2.

The second of the shaft-carried members 1 is applied to the intermediatemember 2 in the manner above described, except that its-blocks 5 aresuccessively inserted in the recesses 8 so that its arms 3 extend inlines at right angles to the similar arms ofthe other shaft-carriedmember. Under conditions of use power is transmitted from the blocks ofone of the members 1 to the sides of one pair of the segmental portionsof the intermediate member 2 formed or defined by the radial slots 8 and9, and is transmitted through these segments to the similar blocks 5 ofthe shaft-carried members 1.

Obviously any shock;l duey to sudden increase in the load on the drivenshaft will be absorbed or cushioned by the intermediate memberr2 and byreason of the more or less loose connection of this with the members 1,itis possible for thetwo shafts connected to the latter to becontinuously operated even though they should be out of alinement. Theconstructionillustrated also permits of a limited longitudinal movementi. of themembers 1.-1 towardv and from each other and the couplingelements are prevented from separating to an objectionable extentbymreason of the overhanging ends of. the plates 6 which engage theintermediate member 2. Owing to the lateral flexibility ofthe lattermember, it will yield to a limited extent without injury in response toa force tending to separate the members 1.

In that form of my invention'shown in Figs. 3 and 4I form each of theshaft-carriedelements with disk like ianges vEL instead lof arms 3-3 andindent or recess theprojecting blocks on their adjacent faces;.

and an intermediate cushioning member in the form of a substantially iatplate having recesses for the reception of the blocks of said members,each of said blocks having a head overhanging the adjacent face of theintermediate member. y

2. A shaft coupling consisting of two shaft-carried elements each havingportions projecting in opposite directions from and at right angles tothe center line of the shaft upon which it is mounted; flat sided blocksprojecting from said portions; integral heads mounted on the outer facesof said blocks so as to overhang the sides of the same; with anintermediate member having two sets of radial recesses extending inlines substantially at right angles to each other and formed forslidably receiving the blocks of the two shaft-carried members.

In witness whereof I aflix my signature.

JOHN R. GRNDY.

